Craigia W.W. Smith & W.E. Evans is a genus of trees closely related to Tilia (limes). There are 1 or 2 living species (one species has not been seen since discovery and may be extinct. Both species, Craigia yunnanensis W.W. Smith & W.E. Evans and Craigia kwangsiensis Hsue, are natives of southern China, and descriptions can be found in the online Flora of China hosted by the Harvard University. (restricted use policy).
Although Craigia is now restricted to mainland southern China and adjacent northern Vietnam, this was not the case in earlier eras, and there is a fossil record extending to Europe (e.g. Craigia bronnii (Unger) Kvacek, Bužek & Manchester, fossil in the Early Oligocene (Tard Clay Formation) of Hungary; Craigia hainanensis, fossil in the Eocene (Changchang Formation) of Hainan). Extinction in Europe may be part of the widespread depauperisation of the European flora as a result of the Pleistocene glaciations. The sister group, Tilia is still present in Europe (and Eastern North America) but shows its greatest diversity in temperate East Asia.
© 2002, 2009 Stewart R. Hinsley